Knockdown crate.



100,001,183. PATENTED 00T. 3,1005. H. 0. 000K 0 G. FULTON.

KNOGKDOWN CRATE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 20. 1904.

HARRY C. DECK AND GEORGE FULTON, OF ROODHOUSE, ILLINOIS.

KNOCKDOWN CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed September 26, 1904. Serial No. 226,037.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY O. DECK and GEORGE FULTON, citizens of the United States, residinfxr at Roodhouse, in the county of Greene and tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Crates and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention is an improved knockdown structure adapted to be used as a crate, shipping-case, and for other purposes; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a crate embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 isa vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same, showing it folded in dotted lines; and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same.

The bottom 1 of the crate or casing is here shown as solid or imperforate. It may be of any suitable construction. On the upper side of the bottom 1 near its ends are transverse cleats 2. The sides 3 of the case or crate are here shown as composed of a plurality of slats 4 and cross-bars 5, which connect them together at their ends and at their centers and are secured to the inner sides of the said slats. The sides 3 are secured to the inner sides of the bottom by means of hinges 6, which permit the said sides to be folded over on the bottom, the width of the latter being such as to enable both of the sides to be folded thereon without overlapping each other. The top of the case or crate is composed of a pair of sections 7, each of which comprises a plurality of slats 8 and a plurality of spaced cross-bars 9, which connect them together. The said top sections are respectively connected to the sides 3 by means of hinges 9a, which are here shown as strap-hinges having their members which are secured to the sides of open construction, so as to afford ventilation through the sides and offer a minimum obstruction to the ventilating-openings formed in the sides by the spaces between the slats and cross-bars of which they are complpsed. The top sections are ada ted by the 'nges 9a to fold outwardly over t e said sections, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The ends of the slats or bars 8 of the top sections project beyond the ends of said sections for a slight distance, as shown. The ends 10 of the crate or case are also of open construction and are composed of slats 11 and connecting cross-bars 12. The said ends are adapted to fit on the bottom against the outer sides of the cleats 2 and between the sides and the top sections, and the upper slats of the ends are provided with openings 13 to receive the projecting ends of the slats of the top sections to lock the top sections in a closed position when the ends are closed. The ends are connected to the bottom by means of hinges 14, which are identical in construction with the hinges 9a, hereinbefore described. In the sides of the ends are notches 15 to clear the projecting eye portions 16 of keepers 17, which are secured to the inner sides of the sides 3 and which ada t the ends when closed to be secured by sea s such as are used on the doors of freight-cars. The ends are adapted by their hinges 14 to be folded under the bottom of the case or crate, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

When the casing or crate is set up, the top sections bear on the upper ends of the crossbars 5, which form projections on the inner side of the side sections and also bear on the upper end of the cross-bars 12, which form projections on the inner sides of the end sections.

It will be understood that our improved case or crate may be readily set up, may be used for shipping poultry and for goods and commodities of various kinds, and that when emptied and knocked down it is very compactly disposed and will occupy but little space.v

From the forgeoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

I-Iaving thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A structure of the class described comprising a bottom, end sections hinged thereto, adapted to be folded under the bottom and having projections on their sides, side sections hinged to the bottom, adapted to be folded over the same without overlapping IOO IIO

and having projections on their inner sides, and top sections hinged to the side sections7 adapted to be folded'outwardly over the side sections when the structure is folded and to 5 bear on the projections of the side and end sections when the structure is set up, said ends having recesses to receive the ends of the top sections and being further provided with. notches, the said sections having keepro ers at their ends to enter and project through the notches in the end sections of the structurc.

In testiinonjT whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence oi two subscribing Witnesses.

HARRY C. DECK. GEORGE FULTON. Witnesses D. M. TRUEsDALn, J. I. SLATEN. 

